Re: HP TrueVision web cam software

Yesterday, I spent another couple of hours - I had this problem before - with a half dozen HP support technicians. (You can call them directly at (1-800-474-6836). At first we tried installing the Cyberlink software mentioned above via the Recovery Manager. (This file is in the list of programs you see when you click the Start (Windows) button in the lower left of your screen.)

We made three attempts to install it. On every occasion, I got a monologue box that said something to the effect that there were doubts as to whether the software had installed correctly, and that I should uninstall it and then reinstall it. This was a sterling idea; unfortunately, I could never find it to uninstall it.

The next step was to roll the system back to a time when the camera was known to have worked. For me, that was just a few days before. However, this didn't work either. (The suggestion was made that when everything, including the camera works, that a Restore Point ought to be created just for solving that particular problem) I wish I had done that at the time.

Another suggestion made to me at that time was that the weekly Windows 7 (and perhaps other system updates) could also be behind the problem. You can test this by changing your automatic system downloads to download, but decide yourself when to install them. Then, with the camera working, install one at a time. If the driver disappears, as before, the roll the computer back to the restore point where it did work.

I was able to explain all that had been done to the last technician. He was knowledgeable, courteous, and very sympathetic; but he said that, having tried all that I've just discussed, there were really only three choices that remained: 1) Use the system restore from Start-F11 to reinstall the OS back to factory fresh. If that didn't work, then you'd know that it was a hardware problem, at which point you could then either: 2) send the computer back to HP for repair, or 3) buy an external camera.

Admittedly, these options are not optimum; but at least you know where you are.

Special kudos to Alise (spelling?), Shari (young man), Dorothy, and Mike. The last three are in Nova Scotia. I couldn't have asked for better support than what they gave me!